The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in Social studies. The lowest is 5% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Highland Elementary School
Highland Elementary School serves about 294 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Columbus, with an evenly mixed student population across racial and ethnic groups: roughly equal shares of Black, Hispanic, and white students, plus a substantial share identifying as two or more races. The school sits in a city navigating rapid growth and substantial systemic change.
Columbus itself is booming. The metro added residents at roughly double the national growth rate, and the city's employers span healthcare, finance, education, and manufacturing anchored by Ohio State University, JPMorgan Chase, OhioHealth, and other major institutions. Housing values in the school's area are moderate, and rentals are relatively affordable by national standards. This is a mixed-use state capital with distinct neighborhoods, riverfront parks, and both dense walkable downtown districts and car-dependent outer residential areas. For families considering the school, the broader city offers economic stability and cultural resources, though housing demand is outpacing supply.
The district context matters. Columbus City Schools has just undergone and is about to undergo significant reorganization. In December 2024 the board voted to close five schools including some elementary buildings, with implementation starting at the end of the 2025-26 school year. In December 2025, facing major state funding reductions, the board approved additional budget cuts exceeding a large sum, which include closing four more schools and eliminating busing for elementary students attending non-neighborhood or non-lottery schools. These shifts will redraw school boundaries and change transportation eligibility for families across the district. Highland itself is not listed among the schools slated for closure, but the broader instability and budget pressure are relevant context for any family evaluating stability.
On the academic side, Highland's state test results show a genuine concern. In 2024-25, proficiency rates across grades three through five were very low: in math, only a small fraction of tested students reached proficiency; in English language arts, the rate was somewhat higher but still well below state and district baselines; in science, around one in five students met the standard. When compared against the district's other elementary schools in Franklin County, Highland ranks in the bottom quartile overall. These results are real weaknesses, not measurement noise. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand what instructional supports are in place, whether the school has a reading remediation or math intervention program, and what the roadmap is to improve these outcomes.
Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education enrollment, English learner population, and chronic absenteeism were not available, so a fuller picture of student need and school response is incomplete. The school's website was also not provided, limiting visibility into day-to-day operations, staff, or specific programs. Social studies test data is from 2016-17 and therefore too old to reflect current practice.
Highland is a small, traditional public elementary school in a diverse urban neighborhood. It is not closing, and it serves a cross-section of Columbus's population. But the low proficiency rates and the broader district turmoil are realities a family moving to the area should understand and explore directly with school leadership.
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